The present disclosure relates generally to a kit for customizing and/or recycling a golf ball, and a method of recycling or customizing the golf ball. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a kit that enables a golfer to select different components of the golf ball based on desired golf ball play characteristics and form a finished golf ball from those components.
The game of golf is an increasingly popular sport at both the amateur and professional levels. A wide range of technologies related to the manufacture and design of golf balls are known in the art. Such technologies have resulted in golf balls with a variety of play characteristics. For example, different golf balls are manufactured and marketed to players having different golfing abilities, such as different swing speeds.
Similarly, a golfer may use different golf balls having different play characteristics depending on the golfer's preferences. For example, different dimple patterns may affect the aerodynamic properties of the golf ball during flight, a difference in the hardness of the cover layer may affect the rate of backspin, or a difference in compression may give the golf ball a different feel.
With regard to hardness in particular, a golfer may choose to use a golf ball having a cover layer that is harder or softer. A golf ball with a harder cover layer will generally achieve reduced driver spin, and achieve greater distances. However, a harder cover layer will generally cause a lower rate of spin, such that the golf ball will be better for drives but more difficult to control on shorter shots. Conversely, a golf ball with a softer cover will generally experience more spin and therefore be easier to control and stop on the green, but will lack distance off the tee.
The term “feel” is often used to describe how hard or soft the golf ball feels on impact, and is directly related to core compression as well as cover hardness. A softer cover and a more compressible core will generally produce a “softer feel.” A golf ball having a soft feel will produce a dull sound when struck by a golf club face, and the impact will not resonate through the golf club shaft to an appreciable degree. On the other hand, a golf ball having a hard feel will make a “click” sound when struck by a golf club face, and the impact will translate through the golf club shaft so as to feel solid to the golfer. The term “compression” utilized in the golf ball trade generally refers to the overall deflection that a body undergoes when subjected to a compressive load. For example, PGA compression indicates the amount of change in golf ball's shape upon striking.
A wide range of golf balls having a variety of hardness and compression characteristics are known in the art. Generally, the hardness of a cover layer and the compression of the golf ball are determined by the chemical composition and physical arrangement of the various layers making up the golf ball. Accordingly, a number of different golf ball materials are mixed and matched in various combinations and arrangements to create golf balls having different hardness and compression values.
However, designing golf balls to achieve desired play characteristics suffers from at least several difficulties. Generally, the construction of known golf balls requires that a wide range of design variables such as layer arrangement, materials used in each layer, and layer thickness be balanced against each other. Changes to any of these variables may therefore improve a desired play characteristic only at the expense of other play characteristics.
As a result, a golfer may be required to purchase several sets of golf balls in order to achieve different play characteristics. Namely, a golfer may be required to purchase and use several sets of golf balls in order to achieve different play characteristics that may be desired under, for example, different play conditions. For example, a golfer may wish to use one set of golf balls, have certain play characteristics, on long courses. However, the golfer may wish to use a different set of golf balls, having different play characteristics, on short courses. As another example, a golfer may wish to use different golf balls having different play characteristics under wet or dry weather conditions. The need to purchase, carry and store several sets of golf balls therefore presents an inconvenience and unnecessary expenses to the golfer.
Furthermore, golf ball cover layers are known to wear out and degrade over time due to repeated impacts with a golf club. Although materials used in the cover layer are generally resilient, the cover layer will eventually crack due to the blunt force of being hit by a golf club. The golf ball then exhibits less than optimal play characteristics, and the ball will ultimately become unusable. Amateur golfers generally prefer to minimize the costs of purchasing new golf balls. Although a variety of methods and systems have been developed to repair the surface layer of a golf ball, in practice golfers usually purchase entirely new golf balls when the cover layers are worn. Such practices generally fail to reuse components of the golf ball which continue to be perfectly functional. The practice of purchasing entirely new golf balls therefore creates increased costs to the golfer, as well as an increased environmental impact due to the disposal of waste golf balls.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a system and method that addresses the shortcomings of the prior art discussed above.